WASHINGTON -- A Senate bill with roots in Santa Cruz took a step closer to adoption this week, and its advocates hope it will improve rental car safety.

Santa Cruz's Raechel and Jacqueline Houck, 24 and 20, were killed while driving a recalled Chrysler PT Cruiser rented from Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Capitola in 2004. The Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2013 would prevent rental car companies from renting or selling cars or trucks that have safety recalls.

The bill was passed unanimously by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Tuesday.

"No other parents should have to suffer such a horrific loss because a rental car company hasn't bothered to get an unsafe recalled car repaired," said Cally Houck, the victims' mother.

She added, "If this bill had been in effect when my daughters rented that recalled car, they would still be alive today."